Shadowed Hearts TANKA CUT
by Neophyte Ronin
Summary: As as serial murderer preys upon students and young women, Instructor Quistis Trepe volunteers to investigate... and the clock ticks faster than her whip keeps up with. An old fic by Simply Crisis receives a facelift through Tanka poetry. RATED M


**I**

Quistis' Mystery:  
A scream curdled the dorm's blood...  
Sounds of a struggle!  
Too late--a ripped chest remains  
The girl holds a note...

"What the hell is this?"  
Everyone asked that question  
Zell, Selphie, Irvine...  
Squall and Rinoa read it...  
"It's addressed to _you_..."

"Dear Quistis--Damned Bitch,  
You & Your Friends Will Suffer  
Slowly... painfully...  
Watch your back, bitch, for you're next!  
Yours Truly, S N A K E

"Who else wills you harm?"  
"...Maybe Seifer? ...Maybe not...  
Lives on Continent...  
Haven't seen in a whole year--  
--It just _can't_ be him...!"

Seifer off the list...  
Anybody else you know?  
No-One, Officer...  
Thank you, Johnson...  
I'll be in my room...

The odd look  
Disconcerting  
And the moon shone fierce  
Wrapped in her covers  
She drifted to sleep

**II**

Tossing Paralyze  
The girl in the hall danced_  
Somebody help me!  
_The unknown stalked  
And endless halls...

Where is everyone  
Squall? Rinoa? Zell? Irvine?  
Selphie? Anybody?  
_They can't help  
__Nobody can help_

Disembodied voice?  
_Who are you, what do you want  
_Light from a window  
How the hell did that get there?  
And her eyes opened

Only a dream  
Beads brushed aside, clammy hand  
Shadows stalk _outside  
_Just _outside_ Quisty's Window  
"You'll get yours," it hissed

Next victim in sight  
Eeny Meeny Miney Moe  
Redhead, Hazel Eyes  
Catch a Tiger by the Toe  
And if she hollers...

A hood-shrouded smile  
"Lovely night, huh ladies?"  
Eyes fixed on victim  
"Sounds like rain all week," she says  
"You from around here?"

"Just from Trabia...  
"Waiting for the next train out...  
"So what about _you?_"  
"I live in Galbadia."  
(_Ah... and baby soft..._)

"What is your name?"  
Charles  
"And I'm Alexis..."  
Beautiful name for one so  
Unfortunate

Selphie has an idea:  
"Irvine, let's find a place so  
We can be alone...!"  
Butterfly leads the way on  
Innocence Emblem

"Irvy, are you coming?"  
"Yeah I'm coming...!"  
(With childish laughter)  
Ring the bell, summon the clerk...  
The Inn is Private

"Bella are you here?"  
Selphie finds Bella's note:  
"_Gone for a few days...  
__Cannot use a room... okay?  
__Too many murders..._"

Galbadia  
We could try Galbadia  
Take the train out there...  
Nice thought Irvine; lock it  
Before we head out

Unexpected hell  
S T A Y A W A Y L E A V E M E A L O N E !  
Scared Alexis  
Nude Alexis  
Raped Alexis

He drew the blade  
_Should have been more careful  
_He slashed her throat  
Eyes stare back at the horror  
Become the Horror

_May Death Leave You Blind  
_Hazel gems gouged from sockets  
Gut the gizzard  
Flip, and get _back_ at _shoulders  
_...Sapphire Keepsake

In Galbadia...  
Seifer with lager and smoke  
Newspaper headline:  
Murder Balamb Garden  
...Quistis _next_ victim?

Reading article,  
He discovers what they think:  
"They suspect _me!  
_What the _fuck_, how _dare_ she!"  
No time... _to Balamb!_

**III**

_If not him then who?  
_Showers do little for her  
She washed sweat and grime  
_Who else seeks vengeance? No-one!  
_She hears it then...

A clean white towel  
Press the ear onto the door  
"Don't worry Trepe  
You'll get yours get yours get yours  
While pigs hunt Seifer..."

She pulled away  
Hid in the shower (freaked out)  
Who was that?  
Unto the Training Center  
Kill Anxiety

The "Save-the-Queen" Whip  
Saving grace for a graceless time  
"Why are you all here?"  
"We couldn't sleep either, Quisty!"  
"Guess what just happened..."

And Cid arrived.  
"I heard it all... I'm sorry..."  
"Assigned anybody?"  
"No-one wants this job, Quistis...!"  
"So I volunteer!"

"It's too dangerous!"  
Then they'll do it _together!  
_Meanwhile, Almasy...  
Not a soul to behold now...  
Train! ...'Bout fucking time...!

Heartily & Trepe  
Investigate the crime scene  
"Don't get discouraged  
If you don't find anything,"  
Whispered a Shadow

Strands of jet black hair  
Replay a death in his mind  
Just for kicks  
Barely wonder what she's like...  
She _is_ a fighter...

Infallible hate  
Infallible objective  
Fallible... door locked  
"What are you looking at?"  
Moody Headhunter

She wakes next to him  
Rough long sex makes him sleep  
Pull covers away  
"Are you cold, Selphie?"  
"Well... I _was...!_"

And Rinoa S I G H E D  
Not a single trace... no leads!  
Tidy Criminal  
But look... another letter  
Left in her absence

Quistis reads it:  
"How did your search go, my love?  
What will you do now?  
I know what I'll do--ha-ha--!  
But I bet you know!"

"Letter from Snake?"  
"Of course, yes... whoever he is...!"  
"Show it to the cops!"  
Meanwhile, Almasy arrives  
At Balamb Garden

Quistis wasn't home  
Seifer found it wasn't locked  
So he decided  
To patiently await her  
And speak with her when...

Squall's anger rose  
"What the hell does this guy want?"  
Zell looked pissed as well  
"A random target, maybe?"  
"Get some sleep, Quistis."

A Den Invaded  
"...Seifer!" And they're both pissed.  
"We need to talk, _now!_"  
"What's there to talk about? There's--!"  
"--You _better_ talk!"

What is it, Seifer?  
"Mentioned me as a suspect?  
I don't hold grudges...  
...Least not forever I don't!"  
"But why are you here?

"_Is_ it your business?"  
"Just needed to clear things up..."  
And he left her then  
She almost dialed 9-1-1  
Before Zell arrived

**IV**

He asked if they found--  
-- "No, we didn't, sorry."  
Roll the eyes; Zell leaves.  
And Seifer eavesdrops  
This ought to be fun...

Selphie had some fun  
Irvine certainly did, too  
Wait... what is that smell?  
Selphie kicks under the seat:  
Dead Red Girl No Eyes

Hyperventilate  
"Call the police this instant!"  
Okay, now calm down  
Selphie grips Irvine tightly  
Another victim...!

"Why did you join?  
Investigate these slayings?  
Why you Rinoa?"  
"...Squall! I'm not a weakling here!  
Why don't you trust me!"

Screaming fit  
Slamming of a door  
Never again, Squall  
Was I wrong about him or what?  
Mirror stares back hard...

And Quistis paces  
Something shatters window panes  
Message etched in blood:  
"I hear what's-her-name broke up  
With Commander Squall...

"I can still see you,  
You're crazy living like this  
N O F E A R  
Gotta go... so many girls...  
So little time... B Y E!

" W H A T T H E F U C K ! "  
Toss the brick and leave the room  
...And what of Squall now?  
Struck a nerve regretfully  
Knock, Knock, "It's Quistis...

"Take a look at this!"  
"...So _how_ does he _know_ about that!"  
"Exactly my question."  
"He stalks us on our home turf..."  
"Let's investigate!"

Announce the Eighth Victim  
Johnson on the scene  
"Glad you're here, Squall."  
As he questioned, her heart raced  
_Oh God, Oh God, Oh--!_

He questioned them all  
Perfect alibis... yet true?  
He dismissed them all  
"What kind of sicko could--?"  
Quistis returned home

The phone rings:  
"What did you think of her, love?"  
"How did you get this--?"  
"--That's for you to ponder." _Click  
_F - U - C - K - ! _SLAM!_

Door knocks: "_Who is it!_"  
"It's me, Zell... can I come in?"  
She unlatches the door.  
"Who was on the phone?" Who else?  
"_Turned my life to HELL!_"

**VI**

To Galbadia  
On a train, escape from Squall  
Escape the Murders...  
Never notice one behind  
"Why hello there...

"Why are you alone?"  
"Leaving," and she walked away  
...And Hell Followed  
Arm around shoulder: neck cuff  
"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?"  
Serpent fell upon the earth  
YOU BITCH I'LL TEACH YOU  
(I drew _blood_... wait that _face_--you--!)  
NOT TO MESS WITH ME!

The blade pierced her  
She cowered  
Sweet dreams  
She suffered  
He pulled the hood down

Quistis chatted  
Tried to get her mind from Death  
Where is she?  
"Rinoa left... never heard?"  
"...Without a Good-Bye?"

And the black man came  
Left behind the next Message:  
Pictures  
"Quisty! How's it H A N G I N G ?"  
Rinoa on ropes

"You like my hobby?  
You're still the last... but _Selphie_...  
She might be next...  
Well anyway, see ya love!"  
_What is this... This... This...?_

**VII**

Got to tell Squall...  
Selphie fought back her fountains  
Quistis balled tight fists  
Lost Rinoa to this _freak_,  
"_No_ I'm _not_ All Right!"

"Squall, we--!" _Oh, my God!  
_Pinned to the wall, face of fear  
Intestines hang loose  
And she vomits more than dread  
The Hell _is_ Going--

_On And ON ANON!  
_"Somebody call the police!"  
Rinoa _and_ Squall  
That fucking freak is _so_ dead  
_What_ could have done this?

Knock Knock it's Seifer...  
What do you want? "Let me in!  
"I'll tell you why-- ..._WHAT!  
_"What happened to him--oh my God?"  
And Then the Photos

Next Week: Funeral  
Quistis sat aside two souls:  
Cid & Edea  
Wept the loss, the salty rage  
Tasted like vengeance...

**VIII**

Quistis Would Get That!  
No peaceful slumber that night,  
Or any damned night!  
She headed for the station;  
Much Death Surfaced There

"Hello there," she said.  
"What are you up to, cutie?"  
"Just sitting around..."  
"You won't mind if I kill you?"  
And the Knife Advanced...

Queen whipped it aside  
"_...And this is for my friends, freak!_"  
Save the Queen struck hard  
Revealed Officer Johnson!  
_Once More: I See Red_

**Epilogue**

...And she considered...  
...Gutting the Pig for Bacon...  
...Rest well, Rin & Squall...

**Disclaimer (a statement to save my ass):**

_When you look back at your work or someone else's you can't help but wonder what went through the head while crafting drivel amidst inspired bits. A poor idea can be spruced up; a grand idea can sink, but hackneyed stuff sings when written well._

_To test this theory, I asked a fellow author--an industrious submitter named Simply Crisis-- to try something. Even my material got kinks even from continuously rereading passages aloud. Nobody is perfect._

_I checked her story of the same name and noted poor formatting and punctuation--early and unpolished--but only after observing current material. She improved since this story; writing three years straight at her magnitude will do that, guaranteed._

_Reviewers were harsh. The scant few she received were evil remarks questioning her education. The sole positive critique gave her the benefit of the doubt, and inspired me to try this__. Even I got bugged by the formatting and wondered if it had been rendered as poetry format by accident. I'm sure she used a notepad program, omitting the chance for computer-aided spell-checking, grammar and formatting. But I wondered... poetry... the piece's length wasn't overwhelming and I mistook it as poetry... so:_

_Why not make poetry out of it?_

_Granted, it's a predictable horror mystery, but horror is a dish served cold but eaten with hot mouths. ...Don't ask; I don't get it either. But I figured horror would work out better if it had been sliced into choice bits in poetry. __I couldn't rhyme it, so I tried Tanka, a Japanese poetry form preceding Haiku by several centuries. Tanka was written by just about anybody who could read and write and, in America, has grown popular in recent years._

_I considered writing an original epic (totally non-serious) from a hundred and one haiku poems, but Tanka is longer, granting more to paint a picture with. It __consists of five lines: five or less syllables on the odds and seven or less on the even lines. You get between five to twenty-nine syllables. Carving passages and manipulating language and word use are keys to mastering Tanka._

_I converted the original in three hours time, typed the rest across two more and submitted it immediately upon confirmation from Crisis (needed permission first). I don't know how long she poured over the original work, but I hope she gets a kick out of this. Finally, I double-checked the look of the formatting to ensure nothing was lost in translation._

_Disclaimer: she owns the plot.  
Square-Enix owns FFVIII.  
I pwn Tanka  
(love d00d-speak)._


End file.
